Diet & Fitness Blog
Double Your Weight Loss: The Write Idea
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Wouldn't it be nice if there was something you could do to double your weight loss efforts?
No. It's simply your keyboard. Keeping a food diary -- recording what you eat throughout the day -- can double a person's weight loss efforts, according to a study conducted by Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research. Labels: diet, food, health, healthy living, lose-weight, low-fat, metabolism, nutrition, weight loss
Comment by 
said... - Thursday, July 10, 2008 12:18:00 AM
I totally agree with this. For over a year I wrote down everything I ate and lost over 100 lbs. Since then, I have been trying to maintain that loss. Somewhere along the line, I quit recording in my journal and have been having a tough time. I guess it's time to dig out that journal again and start writing it all down again.
Comment by 
ahmad said... - Thursday, July 10, 2008 5:22:00 AM
i ate cheese sand with nescafe 2 candes , proteine scoop , 2 proteine scoop 2 keloogs bars of 90 calories each 1 nescafe
Comment by Nurit said... - Thursday, July 10, 2008 7:29:00 AM
Bravo. As a personal trainer and the owner of a women's fitness club, one of the most difficult things to do was to get women to write down what they ate. Somehow, if they didn't write it down, they didn't eat it. Not so. Once they wrote things down, they saw how much they were eating and it really helped them change some difficult behaviors. Thanks for bringing it up!
Comment by SerenRose said... - Thursday, July 10, 2008 8:58:00 AM
I have tried keeping food journels... it gets very difficult however when you eat out... which we do alot. It's hard to figure portion sizes and know exactly what's in the food. Plus finding some foods in a database or manually putting in all the data from packages takes a long time. It's not really out of laziness I stop doing it... rather time involved. I go back to it when I can... and when I do, I do notice a difference in what I eat. You do feel more accountable and it also makes you aware of how many extra calories you may have drank, or just munched here & there that you would normally forget about counting in your daily total. I think I will restart again today!
Comment by frustrach said... - Thursday, July 10, 2008 9:12:00 AM
I completely agree with the findings. Before I started keeping track of my eating habits I couldn't lose a pound. And after that I lost 20 pounds in 1 year...
Comment by Michelle said... - Thursday, July 10, 2008 9:39:00 AM
IT works!!! I use the weight watcher tracker and if I write it down then I hold myself accountable for it. If I don't write it down I either forget or make some type of excuse for it mentally..... WRITE IT DOWN IT WORKS!!!!!
Comment by said... - Thursday, July 10, 2008 9:57:00 AM
This is an idea that has been around for awhile, but now we have research that shows that it WORKS!!! I will definitely be putting this idea into action. Thanks for the wonderful ideas and articles I receive on this website. Much appreciated.
Mary Ann from St. Cloud, MN
Comment by said... - Thursday, July 10, 2008 10:34:00 AM
Does anyone have an easy method? Is there a website or do people carry notebooks in their purses. I've tried this several times and can't make it stick. Any stick to it tricks would be helpful.
Comment by said... - Thursday, July 10, 2008 11:12:00 AM
I used and online website to record what I ate and found that recording everything I ate really helped. If there was something I wanted to eat but knew I shouldn't, I thought about having to record it in the food journal and decided..."I really don't need that!!".
Comment by said... - Thursday, July 10, 2008 11:50:00 AM
The last post (1200) says it fairly well. If I have to write everything down, it just plain easier not to eat. Writing everything down is such a hassle.
Comment by said... - Thursday, July 10, 2008 11:53:00 AM
I set up an excel spreadsheet and recorded protien, carbs, and fat, if I'm busy I just jot in what I ate. I put a shortcut to it on my desktop along with a link to a calorie counter and a nutrition website.
Comment by said... - Thursday, July 10, 2008 12:52:00 PM
Just the other day, I wrote down my food intake and fiber to get an idea of how many calories I've been eating. I was amazed how it adds up so quickly. I will begin to use this method along with my regular exercise to boost my weight loss! Thanks for the article.
Comment by said... - Thursday, July 10, 2008 1:46:00 PM
Yes I totally agree, I own a ice cream parlour, and the girls and I have to write what we ate down,or else! We have really maintianed over eating.Having a treat is great, but indulging is a bad habit. Write it down girls, it works!
Comment by said... - Thursday, July 10, 2008 5:32:00 PM
Yes indeed- keeping a journal does work. I carry a small notebook around in my purse to write down everything I eat. I started keeping a journal in September of '07 and have lost 40 lbs to date. Before that I was struggling to lose any weight! So it is definitely worth a shot to try keeping a journal to see how it works for you.
Comment by said... - Friday, July 11, 2008 1:01:00 AM
If you're aren't exercising, too, calorie counting is just a math exercise! I lost 50 lbs over two years and kept it off. I keep a spreadsheet with columns for weight goal/wieght actual/ what I ate for bkfst/am snack/lunch/pm snack/dinner/dessert/ how many glasses of water and alcohol AND Exercise Goal/Exercise Actual. Learning how many calories something really is will astonish you and you will make better choices.
Comment by ahmad said... - Friday, July 11, 2008 5:14:00 AM
Comment by said... - Friday, July 11, 2008 7:07:00 AM
Yeah i like totally agree with writing down what you eat. I have been doing so for a while now and it has helped me a lot. See when i even think about eating something extra I go wait a minute I would have to write that down then i get my note book out and I see what I already have eaten for that day and I'm like ok i don't need to eat this.
So i would say that keeping track of what you eat really really helps you loose weight.
Comment by said... - Saturday, July 12, 2008 12:58:00 AM
Agreed with every comment here.
To "enjoy" writing in my journals, I started by pretty, cute little "books" that are about 3" tall that you get at specialty stores, on vacation, gift shops, etc. It fits in my purse and is a reminder every time I "reach in" to buy lunch (salad!). I include everything the poster above mentioned, and tally the totals at day's end, including P.A. (Physical Activity, as the nutritionist I know calls it).
Thanks for reminding me to get back on track!
Comment by chelsie said... - Saturday, July 12, 2008 3:32:00 AM
i've kept a food and exercise diary on & off for the last 3 years. i'm abit of a perfectionist so every time i screw up in any way, i tear that page out of the diary & begin again the next week. now i'm considering being easier on myself & having a cheat day once a week so that i don't feel so guilty if i indulge once a week. if you aim too high it becomes a burden but without it i feel out of control
Comment by Vanessa said... - Saturday, July 12, 2008 9:54:00 AM
Keeping a journal of what you eat and a good excerise regiment helped me to lose 30 pounds last year and I'm still keeping it off.
Comment by TCramer said... - Saturday, July 12, 2008 7:14:00 PM
I absolutely agree. Another benefit from using one of the online journals is the nutrition information - to make sure you are getting what you need and minimizing what you don't.
Comment by said... - Saturday, July 12, 2008 9:44:00 PM
I have been recording my food consumption for the past two years. Apparently, it doesn't really help. I just cannot control my appetite and diet. I enjoy eating so much and seem to be motivated to eat more as I thought that I will burn it off by exercising after reaching home at night. I don't have much discipline and always continue to eat even when I am feeling full. Am I abnormal? What should I do? Will the food I consume today be burned if I exercise on the same night? I really need help. Sigh..
Comment by said... - Sunday, July 13, 2008 8:14:00 PM
I could not loose weight no matter what I did a friend suggested I write everything I ate down and what kind of mood I was in when i ate. I thought it was crazy but started writing down everything i put in my mouth 6 years and over the first 2 years lost 79 lbs every time i stop I start gaining again so to this day i write everything down it works and keeps me honest.
Comment by said... - Sunday, July 13, 2008 9:22:00 PM
Because of this article, I have started a blog on my My Space page, and will be blogging daily on what I eat, my water and my exercise....can't wait!!! I've always heard that journaling everything works, but now that I"m putting it out there for the world to see, I hope that it will really work for me!!!
Comment by said... - Tuesday, July 15, 2008 4:36:00 PM
This is true I lost a couple of pounds as wel by writing down what a eat! I lost more than 8kg
Comment by said... - Wednesday, July 16, 2008 10:34:00 AM
I kept an informal journal a couple years ago when I wanted to lose 10-15lbs for a special event. It worked! But don't worry about the exact size of the portion, quess-timate, but be honest. And I didn't even consider writing amt. of calories! Too much time and work! I just jotted down what and when. Looked it over daily, scrapped it at end of ea. week and vowed to do even better next wk. I lost more wt. than I thought I would!
Comment by said... - Wednesday, July 16, 2008 3:09:00 PM
Yes it works to write down what you eat each day. You bite you write it!!
Comment by said... - Wednesday, July 16, 2008 11:47:00 PM
I would love to know how anonymous from 7/10 was able to put a shortcut on her desktop along with a link to a calorie counter and a nutrition website to help her count her calories, etc. That is a great idea!
Comment by Andy Maize said... - Friday, August 08, 2008 2:31:00 AM
Comment by said... - Tuesday, August 19, 2008 9:27:00 AM
To Anonymous:
Perhaps you could get one of those small tape recorders that you put on a key ring so that it is always with you. That way, you can record everything that you eat during the day and, when you get home, you can transcribe it to a book or to your computer. I hope this works for you.
Comment by said... - Tuesday, August 19, 2008 3:58:00 PM
i think the key is knowing how many calories are in what.i have this thing with numbers, if i see them i just remember. for the past year or so i looked at every box i ate from and remembered how many cals. are in what.now i don't need to look, i just know what a portion looks like and roughly how many cals. are in what.then mentally i can just add it up in my head right after I'm done eating it. like this morning i had a whole wheat English muffin,130 cals 2 tablespoon of peanut butter 180 and low sugar jam 30 cals.so i know for breakfast i had about 350 cals.it takes a bit of time but once you do it for a while you'll never have to keep a journal.if you don't know whats in something like at a restaurant when you get home you can justlook up the nutrition facts on line!
Comment by said... - Thursday, August 21, 2008 3:08:00 AM
100% Agreement: Being an engineer by education I have been trying to keep a journal and found after many modifications & improvements to designing a Weight & Health Journal the latest efforts has produced a daily and weekly journal that documents qty. and foods eaten as well as food groups, water, k-Cals, Fats, etc. I have found that % of cals from fats is a key to loosing weight: I target in on a max for the day of 21% of total calories from fat. I have been able to loose 1.75 lbs per week or .25 lbs per day....So my TARGET WEIGHT decreases by -0.25 lbs per day. I record my weight every day and put it next to my TARGET WEIGHT. This gives me a daily check on my progress and what I need to do for the current day. I can also see if I am getting all my FOOD GROUPS to keep things in a healthy balance.
My TARGET WEIGHT is 168 lbs and is based on getting my BMI below
25. Say a BMI of 24.9 gets me to 168 lb for my height...so loosing 1.75 lbs per week (-0.25 lbs/day) is the stairway I an trying to go down to get to my TARGET WEIGHT.
In addition to recording the intake information I also have a place on my journal for a few notes to put down my THOUGHTS:,... GOALS:,... and AFTERTHOUGHTS:.....This gives me a chance to think and evaluate what and how much I've eaten as well as what I need to eat and drink to get a balanced food group total.
Anyway, I've lost 18 lbs over the last 10 weeks and feel great!
RN...
Comment by said... - Thursday, August 21, 2008 7:58:00 AM
please i want to lost 8 kg in 1 months what should i do?help me
Comment by said... - Monday, August 25, 2008 2:57:00 AM
which kind of food that i can eat daily.help me to loose my weight wthin 1 month approximate 6 kg
Comment by said... - Monday, August 25, 2008 11:28:00 PM
I tried journaling and so far have lost 18.5 lbs since July first. I was a hassle at first but I stayed on track. When I looked at what I was eating and started weighing myself every week it made a tremedous difference. I never dreamed I could be so sucessful at this. I found out some other things too. I am a emotional eater. I feel it will now be a breeze to lose the additional 40lbs. Do journal it makes all the world of difference.
Comment by said... - Thursday, August 28, 2008 2:23:00 PM
When I started trying to lose weight, I was 5'9" and weighed 287 pounds, a size 24. It took me about 18 months to drop to 170 pounds the healthy way. Writing down what you eat really helps! I bought a regular notebook and tracked down my exercise as well. That way, there's NO excuses! :)
Comment by said... - Saturday, August 30, 2008 2:26:00 PM
I am a 57 year old female, I have lost 28 pounds in a year. I lost this weight by counting carbs and watching the fat I eat. I still feel like I should have lost more. I am a fairly new type 2 diabetic. I don't eat sugar. I quit smoking and I know I should feel better, but I feel like I should have lost more weight in the past year. but ole well I at least took that much off slowly. I am trying to walk a mile 3 times a week but it is hard since I have a very bad back, but I will keep trying. I know I should feel lucky.
Comment by Manorama bakshi said... - Monday, September 01, 2008 6:04:00 AM
Hi, I got married in 1995 at that time i was 54 KG .Since then I am continuously gaining on weight.Today I am 105 Kg.I don'y know how I reached here.Now I am Diagonosied with Thyroid and sugar.My TSH is 11 and my Fasting sugar is 140 and pp195.I am taking thyronorm50mg and Gloformin500mg in mor and 500mg in eve.I am stagnant at105 kg I dont know why after taling the medicien for 2months why I am not loosing weight
Comment by said... - Monday, September 01, 2008 9:50:00 AM
I have just started writing down everthing that I eat. I am honest about EVERYTHING. You only cheat you by not documenting everything. I purchased a small composistion book that fits in my pocket. I decorated it with beautiful paper and I enjoy pulling it out and journaling in it as well as writing everything that I eat. And, what I didn't eat. EX: Icecream cake at work today. I was soo good and did not eat any. YEAA 4 ME.
Comment by Weight Loss said... - Wednesday, September 17, 2008 7:07:00 PM
Weight loss industry will focus on the way people should feel while doing it, in order to achieve better results and stay healthy all the time. Being healthy and thin is not a dream, it should be something, that is a reasonable and easy to be done.
The modern obsession with a thin body is another problem that women face now a days. Women try everything in order to get this extra pounds off, things like pills, patches, diet, hunger, exercises and all kind of weight loss products.
Comment by said... - Wednesday, September 24, 2008 8:06:00 AM
I use a very simple hard cover food journal call "Dieter's diary" by Corinne Netzer (I buy it at Barnes and Noble). I just leave it at home--write down what I ate AM and catch up with the day at night. It has calorie counts in the back, which I thought would not be enough info, but it is. I love my computer but I have found the by hand method to be faster. It does really work! I've been journaling for half a year.
Comment by said... - Thursday, September 25, 2008 7:17:00 PM
I wrote to e-diets a couple of days ago with my problems, i havn't anything back. to summerize what i wrote; i have hypo thyroid problems, i have cut back on my amount of and what i eat, i at one time even totally cut my cokes to drink and started drinking water
a lot and walked 4 mile a day, i did this for 3 months. i ate salads, vegetables and more chicken less red meat starchy foods and l never lost a single pound i really don't know what to do. I have tried exercising agian but my living room is very small i can't even stretch out on the floor. i doo some exercies but not regularly. My job does keep me moving a lot i have to load my school bus with supplies twice a week, I constantly left move and stretch putting up supplies i do a lot of walking from classroom to classroom, i walk up and down a flight of stairs about(20-25 steps) anyhow what else can i do?
Comment by said... - Wednesday, October 01, 2008 8:43:00 PM
The best way to really get those calories dropping off like flys is lessen the anmount of calories you eat by, let's assume, one quarter of what you are eating everyday. Now, increase the amount of caloric outpu (like cardio workouts) by one quarter! Forexample, if you eat 3000 calories a day, drop that to 2250, and if you burn daily about 500 calories, increase it to 625 calories. The diffrence? 875 calories. You need to burn 3500 calories to lose one pound. You doi the math!
Marques Garcia, personal trainer
Comment by said... - Saturday, October 04, 2008 12:49:00 PM
I would love to know how many carbs is recommended for a normal diet. I am currently eating low fat and high fiber but I would like t know the recommended amount of carbs per day and then I will try to half that as well. Can someone help me with this?
Comment by said... - Wednesday, October 15, 2008 11:32:00 PM
Im really worried that I might be becoming too obssesive about my weight loss, do you think that writing it down would make me even more OCD?
Comment by said... - Sunday, October 19, 2008 3:00:00 AM
My specialist told me this a year ago and I lost 216 pounds. I did weigh 378 but now I weigh 162 pounds. I am trying to make it to 140. Still working my way up.
Comment by said... - Wednesday, October 22, 2008 8:00:00 AM
I agree that if you do keep a journal of what you eat it will help lose weight. I have been keeping a journal of how much and what I eat a day and I have lost almost 25 lbs in 7 months. I don't use a program that is already put together. I just went into word pad and started with Day 1 and the date. I also record my weight every morning after I use the bathroom before I eat or drink anything. I have had my fair share of up and down weight through out this time. I have 15 more pounds to go to get to my goal weight. Also exercise regularly 5-6 days a week.
Comment by said... - Friday, October 24, 2008 5:58:00 PM
I have not tried the journal idea, but it sounds interesting. I am trying to figure out which diet is the best for my body. Is it low carb, low calorie, or what?! If I knew what was best for me, I would do it! Can anyone help?!
Comment by said... - Friday, November 21, 2008 10:39:00 PM
I have been on Insulin for 22 years and kept a journal every day and still do. I don't lose weight and it does not matter one way or the other about my blood sugars, they are what they are no matter how hard I try. Walk 3 miles a day and stay active at 52 yrs. old and my Intersist says I am a brittle diabetic to deal with it. I go to my new Dr. on 12-12-08, I will not give up! Marie
Comment by said... - Saturday, January 03, 2009 5:13:00 AM
Writing what you consume everyday down does work really well.The problem(?) I had was that I became obsessive,writing down the food,protien,carbs,cholesteral,fiber,sodium,etc....But it worked.This is also an excellent way to manage your spending.If you write down every penny you spend for a week,you can see were you can cut back and save 10 or 20 dollars a week,or more!It's really all about accountability and having proof.
Comment by said... - Saturday, January 03, 2009 5:14:00 AM
Writing what you consume everyday down does work really well.The problem(?) I had was that I became obsessive,writing down the food,protien,carbs,cholesteral,fiber,sodium,etc....But it worked.This is also an excellent way to manage your spending.If you write down every penny you spend for a week,you can see were you can cut back and save 10 or 20 dollars a week,or more!It's really all about accountability and having proof.
Comment by said... - Saturday, January 03, 2009 5:24:00 AM
EVERYONE WHO JUST NEEDS A LITTLE PUSH!!!
I'm 15, okay and Im fat, alright
so I found this website called The Daily Plate
this is how it works:
you first put in your weight and weight goal and how much excersize you have each day, then it calculates how many calories you can eat, to lose how ever many pounds a week you wanna lose.
then say you eat a granola bar and an orange, you just type it in and click "I ate this" it automatically calculates how many more calories your entitled to today!
Its fantastic! I lost like 8 pounds in the first month. I was so happy.
Its the new year, everyone. Make 2009 your year of CHANGE
Comment by Marie E. said... - Saturday, January 03, 2009 8:43:00 AM
I have tried writing things down in the past... I'd start off strong and then slack off. It took me getting a fun iphone application that records my weight, calories and tells me things like when can hit my goal wight if I stay on track. Make it fun and simple and you are more likely to do it. There are also tons of free websites with built in food databases ( including popular restaurants menues) that make logging your food as simple as pointing your mouse. Good luck to everyone with their health and weightloss goals!
Comment by daddysgirl2 said... - Saturday, January 03, 2009 10:31:00 AM
I clean house for a living and go to college. I used to write in a note book but would forget to bring it along. I agree with the fact that if you have to write it down you eat less. I started just any piece of paper in my jean pocket to write down every bite!!Sometimes i use the last page of my notebook at school My lab partner giggles when she sees me writing my food. During midterms till christmas break I stopped writing food down. Got on the scale after christmas and was up SEVEN pounds i worked to hard to gain the 47 pounds i have lost so back to writing down every bite lick and taste!!!
Comment by said... - Saturday, January 03, 2009 2:10:00 PM
This does work very well. But I also tried another thing that had amazing results in getting rid of belly fat--eliminate milk & dairy from your diet. I now use light soy milk and skip the cheese. My first two weeks of this trimmed 4lbs. Try it, you will be amazed.
Comment by said... - Saturday, January 03, 2009 2:52:00 PM
I am a bit late in reading this, but yes it works...I had kidney stones and had to go on a special diet and see a dietition, and thats when I started writing everything down, I have lost 50lb in the last year, and I did find a website that even gives you the calorie count for just about any food even fast food like Arbys, ect. it is wonderful, it also has where you can put in your activitys and exersise so you can see how many calories you are burning. it is under "Everyday health". I hightly recomend it! I have lost 100lb in the last 4yrs but once I started keeping track the last 50 came off with ease. I also weigh and measure everything, after a while it is just a way of life and that also helps. Good luck and keep writing!
Comment by said... - Saturday, January 03, 2009 6:48:00 PM
After all the comments written before me I want to recap the BEST WAY TO LOOSE WEIGHT.
Best diet is changing the foods I eat by replacing with recommended 4 food groups, reduce fats and/or calories intake (read labels for a while)and exercise 30 minutes per day (beginners start by stretching 30 minutes a day, for a few days, before starting an exercise routine)and to make it work, WRITE IT ALL DOWN, EVERYTHING; Food & Exercise time, in a small note pad or computer (whatever is more convenient)and read it once in a while you'll see a difference. BE HONEST. It's a commitment BUT I AM WORTH IT. IT'S ME TIME! If after a while, you stop loosing weight, it's time to change your execise routine. Whenever you feel better, you should try and increase your execise routine a bid, do a dance! Good luck on your journey.
Comment by said... - Saturday, January 03, 2009 10:17:00 PM
Yes food journal does work for me but when I stop journal it is hard to lose weight so I totally agree food journal does double your weight loss.
Comment by abbi said... - Sunday, January 04, 2009 9:34:00 PM
how does actually wrriting stuff down on a paper help you lose weight ? cause you already ate it so you cant do anything about it ?
Comment by said... - Friday, January 16, 2009 3:33:00 PM
Journaling tips that have worked for me:
I bought a small journal that fits in my purse and a larger one that I keep on my desk. On the go, I make notes in my small one, then add them to my larger one when I sit down at my desk.
I planned out several small meals that meet my calorie and nutrition needs and documented them in my larger notebook. Now I only have to look up content if I add a new meal.
(I am eating 4 400 calorie meals per day. My pre-planned mix-and-match menu allows me to quickly fix or pack my meals for the day. It was more work at the beginning, but it is becoming an easy routine!)
Good luck to you!
Comment by said... - Saturday, January 31, 2009 1:02:00 PM
Why cant Canadians participate in the 'Find Your Ideal Weight'. We can still find your website; anybody can find your website. You are only limiting it to Americans!? That is shallow and harsh!
Comment by said... - Tuesday, February 03, 2009 7:30:00 AM
I have done journals several times
But I find it frustrating. When I eat, let's say, a sandwhich. The meat the cheese used, what kind of bread what was the spread, mayo, mustard? Did I use salt Pepper. How about lettuce tomato onion?It's not just a simple thing to accomplish especially if you want to count the calories. It get's complicated for me and time consuming. And if I don't remember to log then I forget some things. Then I give up and try again another time just to fall back into the same circle.
Comment by Mónica said... - Wednesday, February 04, 2009 7:34:00 AM
I agree with this article. I have been part of a 12-steps program and I used this for over 9 years. It has helped me to learn how and how much I was eating, so it helped me to be aware of what I was eating, how much I was eating, and when I was eating more.
Another good thing is to share it, so the other person can help you to improve your daily diet.
Thank you
Comment by rhonica said... - Wednesday, February 04, 2009 8:31:00 AM
i started my journal 2jan; includes food/drink consumed, fitness type and duration, bm yes or no and my mood, or if i caught a cold etc. yesterday i got up enough nerve to weigh and record the number (it). although i gained a little. i am successful in nutrition and fitness and am hopeful to reach/keep the fitness/nutrition/routine goals i have set for myself
Comment by said... - Wednesday, February 04, 2009 7:00:00 PM
I eat just about the same thing every day. I don't think my taste is boring, but keeping a journal sure was. I gave it up after about 2 weeks. I'm not overweight, so maybe that's the difference. If I want to lose weight, I need to exercise more.
Comment by said... - Saturday, February 07, 2009 11:29:00 PM
I am a diabetic,Type 1 and on the insulin pump. Last Year I last about 25 lbs. I was on Byetta most of the year. Then my insurance company said they would no longer pay for it. so I went on Sylmin after tree month my A1C came back 6.3 the best I ever had. But because it was so good I no longer needed Sylmin. That was last Febuary, now I have gained all that weight back and my
A1C is back up to 7.3. I changed insurance co. and I am back on Byetta. Hope I can get this weight off again with no trouble from insurance co. My wt. is 206.5 and I am 72 years old. and It is getting the best of me. I have always kept a Blood Sugar log with everything I eat in Carb. I try to keep the carbs under 100 a day. calories are usually 1000-1200 and I still can't lose the weight.
Comment by said... - Sunday, February 08, 2009 10:43:00 AM
I also wrote stuff down, and found it very time consuming and hard to find calories for things that arent listed on packaging. If you have the time to sit down after every mean and write stuff down, and look up things that calories arent listed on then great.
This is what I do now, I know how many calories the things I like to eat regularly have, I plan what im going to eat that day in my head and i just DONT eat anything other than what I already had planned. Its that simple. Like today, I know i had my fruit smoothie (with ff yougurt and ff soy milk) for breakfast, at around 10 im eating a lite and fit carb and sugar control yougurt, at lunch im having a turkey sandwich on light wheat bread and a handful of strawberries and half a can of campells select harvest light soup. Around 2 or so I will have a piece if ff string cheese and for dinner I will have a piece of salmon a small sweet potato and broccili. Now all that for the day is a little over 1,100 calories. Just know what you like to eat and how many calories it has in it, plan your day to eat those things and have the willpower to never touch anything else for the day! Its all about willpower to eat only what you plan to eat you dont need to write it down if you plan ahead and have willpower
Comment by said... - Thursday, February 12, 2009 2:07:00 AM
I agreee with your Sept. 24 commenter who used the Corinne T. Netzer Dieter's Diary from Barnes and Noble. It is an excellent tool. It fits in my purse and is easier to open than the computer. It has a weekly Progress Report on calories and exercise and I also include how much water I drink. Every couple of days it has a tip reminding you of things like eating slower, etc. I also bought a couple of other books with calorie information, including fast food places. My biggest revelation was how many calories sweets and meats have and how much difference it would make to cut down to a half piece of cake or 2 or 3 ounces of meat. My daughter is diabetic and needed to lose weight and I only went on the diet to encourage her so we could compare notes. I never dreamed how much it would help me! We decided to use the number of calories recommended to her, 1300 daily, even though I am 3" taller and bigger boned. For me, I assigned 300 to breakfast, 600 to dinner, and 400 to supper so I could see my progress as the day wore on and adjust my meals. That helped, too. I didn't make myself exercise at first. I started charting my calories in August, 2008, at 198# and in January, I reached my first goal of 167#, a loss of 31 lbs. I didn't starve myself because I drank 1/2 oz water per pound of body weight, which was way more than I could do at first because I never liked water and was used to drinking very little of it. It helps one not to feel starved or prematurely hungry, though, and I have come to like drinking water for its own sake. I didn't berate myself if I gained instead of losing or didn't lose for a week or if I exceeded my calories quite a bit eating out or at one of my daughters'. Now I feel like exercising more and, at 71 yrs of age, have begun to do more walking and other exercise; I am doing more activities, such as preparing for a class I will take on February 21 in snowshoeing and tracking. My next goal is 147, though it is contingent on when I lose my belly fat! I have lost some of it and think more exercise may improve my shape. I hope that some of my good luck in finding these ways of coping with being overweight will help others.
Comment by said... - Sunday, February 15, 2009 2:20:00 PM
I think it's total BS that people make excuses for not keeping a journal. It takes time to create the habit but once it's there it's not hard to eek out a few minutes a day to enter foods. I use thedailyplate.com. It's not perfect but it's free. If you pay a little bit of attention to your food packaging you will get a better idea of what you are eating and how much of it you are eating. Not every food is easy to track but I would rather make an educated guess than leave it off my food log all together. It's not about perfection. It's about getting the job done and educating yourself.
Comment by said... - Monday, February 16, 2009 11:48:00 AM
I have only kept a diary for a week, after several aborted attempts. But my distress over my lack of progress finally gave me the discipline to do it. It is really a great tool. It forces you to get real about what is actually crossing your lips. Also, the knowledge that you are going to have to look up the calories and document each little morsel serves as a real deterrent to eating unplanned snacks. I'm happy to say my fat loss is back on track. There is a great web site called Nutritional Analysis Tool 2.0 that does a great job of analyzing not only calories in many foods, but other nutrients as well.
Comment by said... - Monday, February 23, 2009 8:12:00 AM
Someone needs to invent a food/calorie tracker for cell phones!!!
Comment by oldschool said... - Monday, February 23, 2009 9:53:00 AM
It's very simple to log what you eat or consume,but still,don't overload your bodies,metabolism rate,(Digestive abilities).It happens more readily than one thinks,as is the reason,America is overweight now.Your digestive system can only properly,digest,a certain amount of food properly.Any excess is slowed down,thus promoting weight gain as the food,is held longer in the digestive tract. Smaller meals 5-7,makes awhole lot of sense.The digestive tract can properly,digest the food,And one main benefit,is no bloating or feeling slugish,no to mention exercise(walking or playing with your children),is a whole lot easier.Thanks DR Armstrong.
Comment by said... - Monday, February 23, 2009 10:41:00 AM
Keeping a food journal helps, but I have been in a plateua for 6 months, so at this point it doesn't seem to be helping much. I work out with a trainer 2-3 times per week and do cardio on my own 3-4 times per week. Nothing seems to help. I'm at the end of my rope what to try to break this blasted plateau. We have changed my diet, changed my workouts and quite honestly can't figure out what else to try.
Comment by said... - Wednesday, March 25, 2009 9:38:00 AM
This definitely works. Once you write down what you have eaten, and you calculate the calories, it is amazing to see what you can cut out. I've lost over 65 lbs since this past July just by realizing how much I can cut out and still be healthly. It is easy to get away from it, which I have at the moment, but this is eye opening enough for me to get back into it.
Comment by said... - Wednesday, April 15, 2009 10:45:00 AM
I purchased a 3 1/2" by 5 1/2" notebook, taped my before picture in the front cover and my inspiration picture in the back. I carry it with me and not only journal food but how I feel every morning, my exercise for the day, and anything that stands out such as special occsions or appointments. Every 7 or 8 days I weigh and add that as well. Every month I take a new current picture and tape it to the page I am on.
Comment by weight loss pills said... - Wednesday, April 22, 2009 8:31:00 AM
the best way which i prefer is taking the weight loss pills, doing proper exercise and having proper diet. it is the best way to loss weight fast.
Comment by Michael said... - Wednesday, April 29, 2009 10:59:00 AM
I've been keeping a food diary for at least 9 weeks, averaging 1660 calories, working out at least 2-3 times a week, and STILL havn't dropped a pound in at least the last 6 weeks. That seems odd to me.
Comment by said... - Wednesday, April 29, 2009 1:22:00 PM
I absolutely cannot lose weight without writing it down. It surprises me how quick those calories or points add up. I try to stick to a good diet but if I don't keep track of it, I go over what my basic need is for the day
and therefore no weight loss for that day. I feel like I wasted my diet for that day.
Comment by said... - Wednesday, April 29, 2009 4:46:00 PM
I use the lose it app for the iPod touch... It is very helpful and has restraunt foods and lots of exercises... It helps me keep on track and I've lost quite a bit of weight... And the best part is it's FREE
Comment by said... - Wednesday, April 29, 2009 6:48:00 PM
I don't understand why I eat as usual even though i am recording everything down.
Comment by said... - Wednesday, April 29, 2009 7:50:00 PM
What's worked for me (and I'm down 17 lbs since feb. ) is the Lose It! application for my iPhone. It's easy to enter food and exercise. You can look across a week so, if you fall off the wagon one day, you can get back on the next and still be okay for the week. That has helped me keep a good perspective
Comment by said... - Wednesday, April 29, 2009 9:24:00 PM
There are some fantastic apps on iTunes for your iPhone that make it much easier to keep a food journal. I would never do it if I had to write things down in a journal or go to my computer each time. I just downloaded a free app called "Lose It!" from the iTunes store and have been using it with great success for several weeks now. It even includes menu items from a lot of restaurant chains, which is super handy. You can manually enter in items that aren't automatically included, and it saves them for later, so it's something you can add again later if it's an item you regularly eat. You can also enter in your current weight and weightloss goal, how many pounds you expect to lose per week, and it'll tell you when you'll reach your goal, how many calories you can eat each day, and keep track of when you come in under/at/over your daily calorie limit. I love it, and it works. 3 pounds down so far!
Comment by Bank said... - Thursday, April 30, 2009 2:42:00 AM
Well said! In fact this method is sooo effective that it bypases all the methods of weight loss available in market. I recommended this method to many of my patients. And though success was variable from person to person, but the best part is everyone was happy & successfull in breaking their eating habits.
We can not rule over our brain, but brain can be guided very smartly.
And this method is truly a very smart way to guide our brain for controlling weight.
Thanks n have a healthy controlled life.
All the best.
Comment by said... - Thursday, April 30, 2009 9:41:00 AM
It's very true! I am a runner, and after my 3rd baby was born i started running again thinking I would lose all the weight that way... but this stubborn 10-15 pounds just held on no matter how much i ran! And on top of that it made my knees and feet hurt when i ran! So a month ago I started keeping track and averaged 1800 cal/day - writing EVERYTHING down! i lost 9 pounds in the last month... just 4 more to go!!! YAY!!!
Comment by Tufool said... - Friday, May 01, 2009 3:45:00 AM
i tried it several times,, it does work as i kept tracking what i eat on every single day & it made me monitor my next day as i compare it with the previous ones but the problem is,, I'm a person who hates routines,, each time i try it i find myself being bored of it & i just stop & go back to the beggining,,, i even tried writing my food diaries in my cell phone notes but again i get bored & never could go for more than a month,,
Comment by said... - Saturday, May 02, 2009 6:32:00 PM
I keep a food diary. It shows me what a complete failure I am.
Comment by said... - Tuesday, May 12, 2009 12:26:00 AM
I was an ediet participant for about a year and a half. I lost all my weight just by following the program. Once I reached my ideal weight, I continued by logging my food. It is an eye opener, really. Sometimes, you think you haven't eaten much, but once you look at it on paper and calculate your caloric intake....you'll be amazed. It's what has made me a success story. My friends ask what I did, and I tell them I work out and joined ediets. Now I maintain by continuing to practice what I've been taught regarding portion control, balance, and exercise. I am eternally grateful! Liz R.
Comment by said... - Saturday, May 23, 2009 10:18:00 AM
Well I currently have a journal in which I write every thing I eat. Keeping track of my intake helps me eat less and eat right. If I look at my journal and see that at the end of the day I eaten alot, I will go to the gym for 2 hours the next day as punishment for over eating. When pregnant, 4 months ago, i weight 260lbs. Now im down to 188. Yes, I lost 72 pounds doing the atkins, taking hydroxycut, going to the gym 5 times a week for 1 hour and writing down everything I eat. My goal weight is 150lbs so if you have any other secrets that can help me loose weight please let me know.
Comment by robyn said... - Tuesday, June 09, 2009 8:47:00 PM
yes this works! I am currently doing the fab plan with Shapeshifters and they got me doing a journal as part of the plan- it sure works!
Comment by Natasha said... - Tuesday, June 23, 2009 11:56:00 AM
I completely agree with the journal thing. I notice that the days that I do not note down what I eat, I actually overeat and consume more than I should. I have tried several times in the past to get to a routine where I lose weight, but nothing has worked as effectively as this has. I actually have the Lose It! app for the iPhone, which keeps track of the calories I consume for different food types, which is great, since at the end of the day you can figure out where you stand. I believe there are several other websites and guides available for keeping track of calorie intake
Comment by said... - Thursday, August 20, 2009 9:34:00 AM
Absolutely!
Food Diary helps me in 2 important ways: it's my food plan and my accountability. I do it last thing at night or first thing in the morning every day. I use free BuddySlim software for that. It's not without flaws & shortcomings, but it works.
It makes me search out the recipes that have the brerakdowns (web & books), and makes me calculate my own recipes, but it's sooo worth it. Even if it's approximate (sometimes, it's just a good time saver to use a food already in the DB even if it's not entirely accurate), it's the only way to make sure I eat at BMR.
It's way to easy to eat inappropriate amount of calories, usually 200+ more than the 1350 I aim for.
I credit Food Journal for the loss of my most difficult last 10 pounds on my first weight loss leg, maintaining it succesfully for 4 months and now starting the second 'leg' of my weight loss journey to lose 5 more pounds.
Comment by stephani said... - Thursday, August 20, 2009 12:27:00 PM
Well, I would love to try this, need to try ANYthing at this point. My fiance got me a blackberry for going back to university this fall. Anyone know any good food log apps for the BB? I could always use a spreadsheet, but the more technical and fun, the more likely I'll use it!
Comment by said... - Wednesday, September 23, 2009 9:24:00 AM
A journal makes all the difference, but it is boring and a chore to do. It definitely keeps you on the straight and narrow because you don't want to write down "10 a.m.--large brownie." I never lie on the journal.
Comment by Jocelyne said... - Wednesday, September 23, 2009 9:25:00 AM
I have started logging in whatever I eat since July 7 2009. Today 23 Sep 09 I have already lost 6 Pounds. This was after several attempts before which took me more than one year with no avail. The attempts to loose weight was mainly to exercise on daily basis without watching my calories. In my 20s this used to work very well for me. Now I am 34 and obvioulsy watching my calories, fat and carbohydrates is very essential for loosing weight in addition to a minimum of 30 min excercising on a working day and 2hrs excercising in the weekend. Thanks JH
Comment by said... - Wednesday, September 23, 2009 9:45:00 AM
Keeping a daily food diary has helped my weight management for many years. I use small spiral notebooks, so even on days that I don't control the calories, I'm able to control the quantity---use only one small page per day.
Comment by said... - Wednesday, September 23, 2009 10:28:00 AM
Many a time have I choose not to eat something because I didn't want to have to write the calories down. It also has made me aware of how many calories something I love actually has so then sometimes I only eat half. LOL
Comment by said... - Wednesday, September 23, 2009 1:32:00 PM
I use the "Lose It" app on my iPhone and, WOW! I didn't realize how many calories I was consuming in a day. I never could figure out why I couldn't lose but when I started looking at calories the weight came plummeting off.
I thought eating a muffin was ok. That is, until I realized a muffin is 400 calories (I'm on a 1414 calorie day diet to lose 2 lbs a week). That's almost a 1/3rd of my daily allotment.
I don't diet, just count calories. I don't deny myself any food, I just portion it so that I don't go over calories. I started exercising 30 minutes a day.
It has been 4 months and I have lost 32 pounds. I feel great and I NEVER feel deprived of food.
Comment by said... - Thursday, September 24, 2009 6:39:00 PM
aloha: have been writing down every
thing i do, every day: when i take my pills + every thing i eat/ it is ok, but i need to get back on ''hoodia*'' capsules, they really work wonders/i can't do exercises/ in to much pain/ but, atleast i do what i can do: prayers help too: me:
Comment by karen said... - Saturday, September 26, 2009 8:13:00 PM
I do keep a daily food journal, and have been doing so since the end of November 2008. I follow the weight watchers diet and have successfully lost an astounding 87lbs.:) I just have 19lbs to go to get to goal.
Comment by said... - Monday, October 12, 2009 12:48:00 PM
Itunes has this great program called "Loseit" I don't remember if it is free or not but it has the tools to track down calories and everything. I love it and it's portable.. you don't need internet access. While people think you're choosing a song to listen to on your Ipod you're really tracking your food!
Comment by said... - Monday, October 12, 2009 12:58:00 PM
I kept a food journal for the past year. i have lost 60 pounds and have kept it off. Whenever I feel myself starting to "cheat" and eat what I shouldn't i start writing it down, and it is so helpful. I also use a calorie counter to track my calorie intake for the day. I write this in my food journal also. this helps me plan meals and know when to say "no" or "yes" to food.
Comment by said... - Monday, October 12, 2009 1:19:00 PM
We agree. Definitely keep a record of your meals for success.
We lost over 50 pounds and it really keeps you on track.
Good luck on your journey.
Comment by chanda rojas said... - Monday, October 12, 2009 5:47:00 PM
I am going to try writing everything down. I started working out 6 weeks ago. I excercise in my target heart rate zone 2-4hrs a day, and I have only lost 13lbs.I have a lot to lose...so I hope this will work.
Comment by Weight Loss Tips said... - Monday, October 19, 2009 1:05:00 AM
Comment by said... - Tuesday, December 22, 2009 5:55:00 PM
I have started writing down everything I eat/ It makes a big difference when you have to see on paper, everything you have put in your mouth!! I am much more consciensious of my eating habits when I use a food journal. it is one of the best and cheapest ways to lose weight! mp55
Comment by msp55 said... - Tuesday, December 22, 2009 6:04:00 PM
This is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to lose weight. I am much more aware of what I am eating when I have to write it down everyday. What an eye-opener!! I am losing about one poound a week and am very pleased! msp55
Comment by said... - Sunday, January 03, 2010 8:44:00 AM
Food journals are not new just a nuisance. However, I have an app on my Iphone and I plug in the information as I am eating the meal. It is not perfect so I have started the food journal also. I hope all of this works. I applaud those who have lost tremendous amounts of weight.
Comment by said... - Thursday, January 07, 2010 8:32:00 AM
I totally think this idea is over-rated. It works at the beginning but I started my weight loss journey 2 years ago, for the first 5 months I lost weight and since then haven't been able to lose hardly anything and I have been keeping a food journal the whole time.
Comment by said... - Thursday, January 07, 2010 9:18:00 AM
Keeping a diary does help. And your primary care manager may require it for certain types of services. However, where most people fail is when they try to get too technical. You should have to have make it soo complicated that you end up quitting. I keep a food journal, but mostly, if I'm busy, I just mentally track and tabulate as the day goes. At the end of the day I'll write down everything I ate. As long as I have a daily calorie limit, I try not to get too technical. Too much detail tends to lead to disorganization and errors--at least for me.
Comment by said... - Thursday, January 07, 2010 10:08:00 AM
I have tried keeping a journal of what I eat and it never works for more than a few days. I either forget my journal at home or I am downstairs and the journals upstairs and by the time I get it I have forgotten what I ate or how much I ate or to just write it down. And when it is all on paper what do you do with it. How do you add it all up? If I could just put it down and hit a calculate button and know how many calories I ate that day that would be great. I need help!
Comment by said... - Thursday, January 07, 2010 12:38:00 PM
Anonymous from MA..
Over 18 months ago I started keeeping a food log and an exercise log to balance the calories I was consuming against those I was burning. I did this for 3 months as I gradually adapted to a change in lifestyle. I lost 40 pounds over 8 months while going from spinning/cycling to triathlons this past summer. I believe the key is consistency, motivation, and perspiration. Write it down but don't become obsessive when family and friends notice the changes.
Comment by said... - Thursday, January 07, 2010 8:36:00 PM
My husband and I are 44 weeks into our serious diet and we do write down everything on our calendar that's stuck to the front of the frig. We've actually learned to prefer the food we eat now and think we'll continue when we reach our goal (shortly, now) and continue to keep the charts, too. We'll just add back an occasional dinner out or a helping of something we haven't been having for all this time. For one thing, keeping the chart is the best way to track the nutrition and make sure we've included all the foods that will keep us balanced and healthy.
Comment by said... - Friday, January 08, 2010 9:09:00 AM
I disagree with this article.
I have been trying to lose 20 lbs since January of 2008. I was advised by a nutritionist to write down everything I eat, including BLTs (Bites, Licks, Tastes). I have been keeping a food journal since January 1, 2008. I still continue my journaling which includes any BLTs. Have I lost the 20 lbs? Nope. In addition, I spin 3x a week. I take ballet 1x a week. I lift weights. And I walk 2 miles (round trip) every day to and from the train station to my building (I work in the city). I always take the stairs when possible (vs. an elevator or escalator). Furthermore, I bring my meals to work every day which consists of 2 healthy meals and 2 healty snacks (such as almonds and fruit). Journaling my food intake and exercise has done nothing for me in terms of shedding the 20 lbs I am trying to lose.
Having said all that, this is just my opinion. I am glad that journaling has worked for others. I will continue to journal; however, I would not stand behind any claim that says it guarantees weight loss.
Thanks for listening.
Happy New Year!
Comment by said... - Wednesday, January 20, 2010 3:51:00 PM
I think this works exactly like spending cash and spending with credit cards.
You spend less when you spend cash, because you take the money and count it and see it leaving your pocket which urges you to cut down.
Same here, you eat less because when you write you don't only write down what you ate but also have a look at what you already ate so far, so you see what has entered your stomach which urges you to cut down
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